Knitting machine stop motion



G. H. NOLL KNITTING MACHINE STOP MOTION Feb. 9, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4. 1965 i i i I GEORGE H. NOLL.

Mod! a AIIORALEZ Feb. 9, 1965 s. H. NOLL 3,

KNITTING MACHINE STOP MOTION w Filed Feb. 4, 1965 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T b To PRESENT STOP MQTION OF MACHINE 23 23 OTHER T w Qua RANT 2N 1 F D s A A TTORNEY United States, Patent M 3,168,822 KNITTING MACHINE STOP MOTHQN George H. Noll, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Wildman Jacquard Co., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 255,951 Claims. (Cl. 66-157) This invention relates to a stop motion for knitting machines and, more especially, for circular multiple feed type knitting machines which utilize endless type programming cards for controlling the various stitch forming elements.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 84,049 filed January 23, 1961, now abandoned.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a means for stopping a knitting machine when faulty or improper selections have been made by selecting levers having a pattern sensing means such, for example, as the type disclosed in United States Patents 2,281,7 21 and 2,883,841.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an indicating means which functions in conjunction with the stop motion for segregating a particular programming section of the machine which caused said machine to cease running.

Further objects will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

Knitting machines to which the present invention is applicable and which are disclosed in the above United States patents have pattern mechanisms that select the stitch forming instrumentalities and include among the various components a pattern drum, and an endless type programming card having pattern perforations aligned with lengthwise grooves in the pattern drum over which it travels. Multiple selectors in the form of pivoting levers having spring biased feelers such as pins ride on the card as it is advanced on the drum until they become aligned with the card perforations in which event they pass through the card and into a slot in the drum. The selector is then automatically 7 moved inwardly by the rotating pattern drum to transmit the dictates of the programming card to the various stitch forming instrumentalities. This motion is well known to those familiar with the art and further elaboration pertaining to the same is considered unnecessary. According to the instant invention, an electrically controlled stop motion has been devised to be employed in combination with the above types of pattern mechanisms for stopping a knitting machine in the event faulty or improper selections are made by the pivoting selecting levers.

This stop motion comprises in combination a current carrying rod or conductor in close proximity above each series of pivoting selecting levers or group of levers whose sensing means are riding on the programming card being advanced by a rotating pattern drum. The energized rods are interconnected in series and as many knitting machines are subdivided into multiple feeding stations, the stop motion is likewise subdivided and comprises a separate electrical stop motion circuit for each section which may include one or more pattern selecting units. Preferably, the machine is divided into quadrants having a separately energized stop motion circuit within each quadrant. Each current carrying rod overlies one pair of selecting units and is interconnected to the adjacent pair of selecting units and so on until the total number within a particular quadrant is interconnected in a series. Each stop motion circuit is provided with an indicating means preferably in the form of a lamp for segregating the particular quadrant in which faulty or improper selections are made 3,153.822 Patented Fete 1%65 causing the electrical circuit to be grounded or closed, thus stopping the machine. This stop motion circuit is groun ed by any one or more of the pivoting selecting levers coming in contact with a superimposed current carrying rod. Contact of this nature takes place when a selecting lever moves above its normal path of travel as a result of faulty or improper selecting or for any other reason.

A stop motion of this type offers the advantages of stopping a knitting machine before an excessive amount of defective fabric can be produced as well as stopping it in the event of jamming due to faulty or improper selections which could result in serious and extensive damage to the various components if the machine were allowed to continue running in such a manner.

The invention will be described in greater detail in the following disclosure wherein reference is made to the accompanying figures of drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of that part of a knitting machine to which the present invention is applied.

PEG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the current carry ing contact rod and its means of mounting.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the various components shown in FIG. 2.

accommodation of needles ii. The needles are slidable within their slots and, in a known manner as a result of the patterning elements acting upon jacks 12, the needles can be controlled for knitting, tucking, welting or to eiiect patterning through stitch variation. Needle cylinder it) is supported by a base 13 and a cam ring 14 having cams for knitting and other purposes is rotatable in a recess of cam plate 15 which is supported by a plurality of posts 16."

FIGS. 1 and 5 show a double drum and pattern selector unit generally indicated by numeral 1'7 mounted on base 13. A plurality of such units is normally provided extending about the entire base; the total number, of course, may vary depending on the size of the knitting machine.

These patterning selecting units function in the same manner as those described and disclosed in the abovementioned United States patent and include among their various components an endless type programming card 1%, pattern drum 1?, selecting lever 29, and a pivoting lever 21 that acts upon the needle jacks 12 when a selection is made, carrying the selecting lever inwardly to a point where it is acted upon by a constantly moving cam 22 shown in FIG. 5 depending from a post 22" which in turn is carried by the cam ring 14. To prevent the pro duction ofjexcessive amounts of defective fabrics as well as extensive damage to the various components of the machine if it were allowed to run after jamming of selecting elements due to faulty or improper selecting, applicants invention provides an electrically controlled stop motion functioning in conjunction with the selecting units for stopping the machine in the event of such occurrences. This stop motion comprises a current carrying contact rod 23 in close proximity above the pivoting selecting levers 20. The rod is supported intermediate its 1 ends by a supporting bracket 24 from which it is elecwardly directed lower hook situated intermediate the ends 7 of the lever which was adapted to encircle partially a supporting bar 26 7 Bar 2s serves as a pivot point for the levers as well as a stop or positioning bar forsaid levers when they are being returned to their initial positionfollowing a selection. In place of this lower hook, applicant has provided a downwardly directed nib B which forms a stop and pivot point for the levers but will permit them to rise in the event of a faulty or improper selection to touch rod 23 and stop the machine. Each Contact rod 23 overlies a separate selecting unit which comprises two pattern drums 19, two programming cards 18, and the multiple selecting levers 29 in contact therewith. A select ing unit mounting bracket 26 supports the pattern drums by means of a spindle journaled therein. The upper portion of bracket 26 protrudes upwardly between the adjacent ends and beyond the upper limits of the pattern drums and has a pivoting means provided at this point for the assembly of the contact rod supporting bracket 24. This bracket as shown in FIG. 5 assumes a position which places rod 23 in close proximity above selecting lever 26. To facilitate the accessibility of indicating levers 20, the

contact rod 23 and its supporting bracket 24 can be swung up and away from its operating position as illustrated by the phantom lines shown in FIG. 5. The machine is subdivided into sections having a separate stop motion circuit to control each section or group of selecting units. Preferably, it is subdivided into quadrants and each quadrant is provided with an indicating means such as a lamp 27 to segregate a particular quadrant within which a faulty or improper selection is made causing the machine to cease running.

Aselecting lever can be caused to move above its normal path of travel for any one of a number of reasons such as breakage of a return spring which is utilized for the return of a lever to its initial position after being selected in a normal manner. In this event the lever would not be withdrawn; the spring biased pin of the lever would ride the outer surface of the card if no perforations were present on that position thereof and would cause the lever to be carried inwardly to a position beyond that point where it is acted upon by the constantly moving suspended cam 22. The lever when acted upon in this position will be forced further downwardly at its inner end thus causing the opposite end to rise a distance sufficient to contact rod 23.

A worn card or one that has become scuffed to a point of forming a ridge on the card will act in a similar manner as a card perforation and push a lever inwardly for only a portion of its normal travel and can be a distance sufficient for the depending cam 22 to act upon only the tip of the lever and not the slot or groove 20 provided for that purpose. Under a condition of this nature, the lever 2% is already above its normal position and when the tip of said lever is contacted by cam 22, point A (PEG. 5) serves as a fulcrum point to cause the lever to pivot a distance sufi'cient to contact rod 23.

v A liquid lubricant is utilized for the various components of the patterning mechanism and often times results in a certain amount of this lubricant adhering to the inner side of the programming cards. A condition of this nature lends itself to the accumulation of lint and other foreign matter and can cause the programming cards to travel slightly above the peripheral surface of the pattern drum 15?. When a selection is made under such a condition,'the pin of the selecting lever will remain in contact with the programming card acting upon it longer than normally, thus' causing said lever to .be carried inwardlyto a position beyond that point where it is acted upon by the. depending cam 22. As with a broken return spring, the selecting lever in this position would be forced further downwardly at its inner end causing the opposite end thereof to rise and contact the rod 23.

The contact rods within each quadrant are interconarately controlled.

The individual stop motion circuits obtain their source or energy from the regular stop motion circuit of the machine. Now referring to FIG. 4 the schematic diagram shows by the way of symbols the electrical circuit employed for stopping a knitting machine upon faulty or improper selections of the selecting levers 20. An alternating current circuit is utilized receiving its source of energy from the regular stop motion circuit of a knitting machine which has been reduced to about 12 volts by means of a transformer (not shown) and which is considered sufiicicnt and proper for stop motion purposes.

i The current then flows through two types of resistors one of which is in the form of a lamp 27 and the other a 30 ohm resistor 28. The current then passes on through the circuit to the contact rods 23 and the circuit remains energized at all times up to this point while the knitting machine is running.

To close or complete the circuit through to ground 31 an indicating lever 20 must rise above its normal path of travel as a result of faulty or improper selecting and touch a contact rod 23 whereupon the circuit is closed and the knitting machine automatically stops.

In operation, an endless type programming card 18 having perforations 29 adapted to align with a plurality of parallel slots 30 provided in the pattern drum passes over and is advanced by said drum in a manner well known to those familiar with the art. The perforations in the programming card are read in the usual way by the spring biased feeler pins of the selecting levers passing through said card into the parallel slots 3%) provided in the pattern drum 19. In the event of faulty or improper selections such as 'a worn card not allowing a feeler pin to enter the drum slot or improper timing that could result in jamming of the various selecting components, the selecting lever 20 as it advances inwardly will rise above its normal path of travel making contact with the contact rod 23. Contact in this manner between the selecting lever and the rod closes o1- completes the stop motion circuit causing the current to flow through to ground 31, FIG. 4. Closing of this circuit causes the knitting machine to cease running and an indicating lamp within the particular quadrant that caused said machine to stop will immediately light to indicate the vicinity or source of such trouble. 7 c

While the invention has been described by reference to one form of selecting device by way of a preferred example, other selecting means employ pattern members and selected or non-selected levers and the stop motion applies equally well to them.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that'the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim: a

1. For a circular knitting machine having pattern mechanism which includes a rotatable pattern member and selecting levers movable to selected and non-selected positions according to the dictates of said pattern member and to other and non-operable positions upon faulty action of the pattern mechanism, a stop motion circuit for stopping the knitting machine including a part functioning upon indication from contact by a lever in non-operable position to complete the circuit and to stop the machine. 1

2. For a circular'knittin'g machine having a pattern mechanism comprising a rotatable slotted drum, an endless type programming card mounted on said drum, said programming card having pattern perforations therein aligned with the slots in said drum, multiple pivoting selecting as) levers having a sensing means for reading the pattern and transmitting such indications therefrom, an electrically controlled means for stopping said knitting machine upon faulty or improper selections made by said pivoting selecting levers.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said electrically controlled means for stopping said knitting machine comprises a current carrying rod in close proximity above said pivoting selecting levers for completing an electrical stop motion circuit upon contact therewith.

4. For a circular multiple feed knitting machine having a pattern mechanism comprising a rotatable slotted drum, an endless type programming card mounted on said drum, said programming card having perforations therein aligned With the slots in said drum, multiple pivoting selecting levers having a sensing means for reading the pattern and transmitting such indications therefrom, said multiple feeds being subdivided into sections each of which is provided with a separate electrically controlled means for stopping said knitting machine upon faulty or improper selections made by said pivoting selecting levers.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said separately controlled stopping means is provided with individual indicating means for segregating a particular section having caused said knitting machine to cease running through completion of the electrically controlled circuit contained Within said section.

No references cited. 

1. FOR A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING PATTERN MECHANISM WHICH INCLUDES A ROTATABLE PATTERN MEMBER AND SELECTING LEVERS MOVABLE TO SELECTED AND NON-SELECTED POSITIONS ACCORDING TO THE DICTATES OF SAID PATTERN MEMBER AND TO OTHER AND NON-OPERABLE POSITIONS UPON FAULTY ACTION OF THE PATTERN MECHANISM, A STOP MOTION CIRCUIT FOR STOPPING THE KNITTING MACHINE INCLUDING A PART FUNCTIONING UPON INDICATION FROM CONTACT BY A LEVER IN NON-OPERABLE POSITION TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT AND TO STOP THE MACHINE. 